The rites of passage that occur in cars are very significant: the first ride home from the hospital, the first serious date, the first solo drive. Each one signals the beginning of a new phase in life filled with great potential and promise. Each also brings a different kind of anxiety in its wake that keeps parents up at night.
The statistics are startling: Accidents involving cars are the leading cause of preventable injury and death for U.S. children. Six teens ages 16 to 19 die in motor vehicle-related incidents every day in this country. For a task that is done daily by millions, the stakes are extremely high.
The journey begins in the hospital parking lot. The world has come a long way with regard to infant safety, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the ordeal of getting the appropriate car seat in the proper position for the grand drive home from the hospital at 2 days of age. Many car seats have multiple points of restraint and can seem like they require an engineering degree just to drive a few miles home. The truth is, installing an infant car seat is quite a feat: An estimated 73 percent of them are not used properly. It may be worth a dry run, practicing before you are in the hospital parking lot. There are online resources and programs such as Safe Kids now offered throughout the country to help with the great challenge of baby’s first car ride.
Once the baby seat is in place, multiple hazards still lurk. These may add to angst but should not prevent your baby from going on outings. Simple common sense can assist in getting babies and young children on the road safely. First, car seats and booster seats should be used in accordance with state laws to ensure safe passage for our most vulnerable riders. Car seats should be purchased new or from a personal contact. If they are expired or damaged or if they have ever been involved in an accident, they should be replaced. New car seats should be registered with the manufacturer so that recalls can be shared with caregivers before issues arise.
Beyond the actual seat, there are other car tips that can assist with keeping infants and children healthy on the roadways. Children should never be left alone in the car. The temperature in cars can vary widely and jump by more than 20 degrees in very few minutes, increasing the risk of heat stroke and brain damage.
In addition, car thefts represent a real threat. In 2015, at least 105 cars that had children in them were reported stolen. Children may also be curious about driving, as they often emulate the adult behaviors they witness in their caregivers. It is relatively easy for a child to slip a car into gear and have a crash event.
Cars should not be left running in a garage (even if the door is open) or with snow or other elements clogging the tailpipe; both situations increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and death.
Lastly, children should not wear their winter coat or snowsuit while strapped in the car in any seat. The outerwear can cause the straps to not fit properly and have slack, putting the child at risk for movement that can cause injury with impact. Children should be properly restrained and then have a blanket or coat draped on them. Kids should never be taken out of the car seat while driving, or even when stopped on the side of the road to feed, change or comfort them. Second-impact collisions or cars veering onto the shoulder pose a real threat, raising the risk of injuries and ejection.
Even outside of the car, children are at risk for car-related accidents. The most common types of these injuries occur in parking lots and driveways. Playing unattended outside frequently results in kids crossing streets or driveways following toys or friends. More than three-quarters of a million people are injured or killed this way each year. Snow plows also represent danger, with children playing in snow near the road injured during routine cleaning.
As children get older and become adolescents, the car represents something even more precious: the key to autonomy and freedom. Almost all teens have dreamed of the day when they have their license in hand and experience their first road trip — even if it is only a few miles from home. The risks are high: Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in teenagers ages 16 to 19. In fact, the risks are higher in teens than in any other age group. Males have the highest risk, and a significant number of these accidents occur within 5 miles of home.
The probability of an accident correlates with a few risk points. A lack of experience with newly licensed teens results in the underestimation of risk and late recognition and correction. In addition, other distractions can take the focus off the road, increasing the likelihood of an accident. Other passengers, especially males, can increase the chances of risky driving and an accident. Half of teen car crashes occur between 3 p.m. and midnight, and on weekends — times when kids are not in school and traffic is likely to be thick. Speed tends to be a root cause in the majority of these incidents. About one-fifth of teens report riding with a friend who had used alcohol and 10 percent will admit to driving after drinking alcohol, a huge risk regardless of the blood-alcohol level.
It can be daunting to think of keeping our young drivers safe on the road. We have less control than we do over our small babies. However, there are still practical, common-sense approaches that can decrease risk pretty easily. The first is to model behaviors that we want our children to mimic. Of teens involved in accidents a few years ago, more than half were not wearing seat belts. Just like bike helmets, restraints in the car should be nonnegotiable.
Parents should also know the requirements for obtaining a license. Every state has put together graduated licensing programs designed to increase experience before solo or night-driving. Parents should not circumvent these requirements by signing off on road hours not actually completed or other “fudging” of the data to expedite the process of licensure. These types of programs have been shown to decrease risks of fatal crashes by as much as 40 percent.
Defensive driving programs have added increased protection on top of the state-led programs and can result in decreased insurance premiums for this highest-risk group. Teens should be counseled to keep their cellphone off during driving periods to avoid temptation. Even during stops, focus on the cellphone can decrease awareness and lead to accidents.
Texting while driving should be a zero-tolerance activity. Texting will cause a loss of focus for a minimum of four-and-a-half seconds if done on the road. At average speed, the distance covered in that time can equal a football field — a vast expanse of potential road hazards. Using appropriate headlights, going the speed limit, minimizing distractions like the radio or passengers, never drinking and driving, and getting lots of practice will decrease the risk on a daily basis.
Whether we are putting our tiny baby in the car seat for the first time or watching them drive away on their own, there are inherent risks in automotive travel. But we can all remember the joy of having our own license and realizing the freedom of the open road. We teach, we model, we preach and we hope. That is our rite of passage as parents.
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From Car Seat to Driver’s Seat: Keeping Kids Safe originally appeared on usnews.com
